The Daily Reviewer | Better. Quicker. Saner. Mother.

Spring Cleaning 2010

Mar 11, 2010 5:00am

Spring cleaning used to be about performing an annual scrubbing down of the home. Nowadays thanks to the proliferation of clearance items and low price bargains our primary job is to regain that feeling of an organized home once again.Image by Nationaal Archief via FlickrHere are the key steps to...

The Grass Is Always Greener ..

Mar 8, 2010 6:25am

Imagine someone you admire suddenly found themselves in your shoes.Image by epSos.de via FlickrOur personal lives appear so much more complex than those of our peers.What would they love about it? What would they change immediately? ...

You can do anything ..

Mar 5, 2010 5:15am

What can you outsource or delete altogether ? It's not about doing it all, it's about deciding what is priority.As David Allen, the founding father of GTD (Getting Things Done) wisely teaches 'you can do anything, but not everything'....

Health Tip

Mar 3, 2010 5:00am

Here's a healthy tip: Image via WikipediaNext time you make a soup consider boiling carrots. Whole carrots (as opposed to sliced or diced) retain more falcarinol, a chemical that can prevent cancer....

A Streamlined (And Adorable) Baby Gift

Mar 2, 2010 8:28pm

Baby gift giving can be tough to be organized about. You want something practical, personal and of course original.Thank you Namely Newborns - my baby gift giving just got super easy.No more late gift giving because I was unsure of what to buy ....NamelyNewborns is a website that sell and...

Perfectly Imperfect

Mar 2, 2010 6:37pm

Image by extranoise via FlickrA happy life is about improvement – not perfection. Celebrate small steps of progress. ...

One Seriously Talented Mom

Mar 2, 2010 5:00am

Leah is a Mom of 4 and now that her 'baby' is in 1st grade she recently went back to school to take some art classes. Aren't you glad she did ? Makes me wonder what talent lies inside all of us ... thank you Leah....

Simple Formula

Feb 25, 2010 5:00am

How can parent's best make sure that the child's room stays clean and organized?a) Make a rule whereby only one or two containers are played with at one time.Image by ooh_food via Flickrb) Have your child clean up each evening - a 5 minute timer can help.c) Consider having a...

Virtual Travel

Feb 23, 2010 10:51am

If you want a few minutes of virtual travel, check out this website. http://www.corriewingate.com. These photos are not your standard travel photos, they capture the personalities of some different cultures around the globe. Definitely puts a smile on my face....

Simple Formula

Feb 18, 2010 5:00am

What are the basic steps to cleaning a child's messy room?Step 1: Do a deep clean first - go through everything and give away and throw away enough so that the remainder is manageable (usually 50%!)Image by Mads Boedker via FlickrStep 2: Containerize - bunch similar items together and put...

Play Matchmaker

Feb 18, 2010 4:10am

Image by rickz via FlickrEver wanted to be a matchmaker ? Well, you can be one right in your own home. Go around your abode and see what items you don't LOVE and don't use often and are just there .... because. Look at the item and think of some-one...

Challenge of the Week

Feb 16, 2010 4:04am

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeNext time you feel like a deer in headlights, jump into action not reason. I speak from experience.Action speaks, shouts and bellows louder than words.Try it. It's liberating to be free from paralysis by analysis....

Separating fear and failure

Feb 14, 2010 4:25am

Image by REMY SAGLIER - DOUBLERAY via FlickrHere's a gem from 'Avator' creator James Cameron. "Curiosity is the most powerful thing you own," he said. "Don't put limitations on yourself. Other people will do that for you...failure has to be an option in art and exploration because it's a leap...

Enjoy your baby's precious nap time

Feb 11, 2010 5:00am

Want to squeeze more out of nap time ? Image by S*H*A*D*D*A*I via FlickrHere's a tip you may not have heard of:Put a toy at the far end of the crib to encourage 10 minutes of play time once your baby wakes up. It's amazing what Moms get done in...

Buffet Style Time Management

Feb 10, 2010 5:00am

Image by 松林Ｌ via FlickrTime management is like eating from a buffet - you can't possibly pile it all on your plate.The trick is to choose the key items that are going to give you the most mileage.Don't pick salad if you really want lox and stay away from cheesecake...

Time & Energy Vampires Tip #6

Feb 5, 2010 6:15pm

Here's part 6 of our time saving tips from our guest Blogger Mark Nolan at http://www.morejoyinlife/6. Delegate time-wasting tasks to someone else. If you owned a big business, would you answer the phone yourself, or would you have a receptionist do it? Would you act as your own delivery boy,...

Time & Energy Vampires Tip #5

Jan 28, 2010 6:14am

Here's tip # 5 from our guest Blogger by Mark Nolan at http://www.morejoyinlife.comJust say no to many boring social situations. Are you dreading going to the time-wasting meeting or function of the Time Vampires Anonymous group? Just politely and firmly say, “Sorry I have something else planned.” Don’t elaborate. The...

Essential Laundry Room Tips

Jan 27, 2010 5:27am

Check out http://www.thegoodstuffguide.com/ for some laundry room tips by yours truly....

Goals are dreams with deadlines

Jan 26, 2010 5:22am

Image by kevindooley via FlickrGoals are dreams with deadlines. ~Diana Scharf HuntWhat are your dreams ? Be brutally honest and write them down. It does make you vulnerable but isn't that better than never airing them out in daylight ? Break your dream down into doable steps. Commit to doing...

The doors we open and close ....

Jan 25, 2010 5:17am

The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live. ~Flora Whittemore * Image by Aunt Owwee via FlickrWhenever I've had enough sleep, not over done it on sugar and have no major stressors the world is really a nicer place. The more open minded and...

What should Organized Living do for me ?

Jan 22, 2010 5:31am

Organized living means clearing out the clutter from our lives, in terms of time, money, and psychological space, so that those things that are the highest priority are ensured a place of importance.It means living purposely, not getting caught up in the call of the urgent but rather learning to...

Jan 21, 2010 5:33am

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeOrganized living means clearing out the clutter from our lives, in terms of time, money, and psychological space, so that those things that are the highest priority are ensured a place of importance.It means living purposely, not getting caught up in the call of the...

No more food for thought ... Your meal plan ..... on an index card.

Jan 20, 2010 3:45am

Image via WikipediaI often get asked which book or website I recommend for meal plans. Hear this one ladies - get an index card, the last thing you need is a website to give you more choices.Step away from the cook books, websites and from the notion of perfect.Think back...

The 5 Secrets of Sane Bedtime Routines for Children

Jan 19, 2010 4:46am

Image via WikipediaThere is no need to explain why the time surrounding children's bedtimes is called the witching hour. Mom's frazzled, the kids are exhausted, the house is getting messier and no-one seems to be going to bed !Follow these 5 steps and you'll be guaranteed happy endings ....1) Designate...

Retrieval Is Key for Keys and More ....

Jan 18, 2010 4:59am

How may times do we absent mindedly throw our keys into our bag and then spend a minute slushing throuhg our bag looking for them ?? Think retrieval before putting things down. It's another trick to staying sane. Image by jon|k via FlickrThroughout your day when you put things down...